Patient Education Materials

The following materials are available for viewing and downloading. They have been developed and/or approved by ODA Dentists and are designed for educational use only; they are not intended to replace advice from your dentist or other health-care professionals.

If you have any questions or concerns about your oral health, contact your dentist. Use our Find A Dentist tool to locate a dentist in your neighbourhood.

Periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. Why? Find out with this informative fact sheet.

Burning Mouth Syndrome

What is Burning Mouth Syndrome? And who does it affect? (Excerpt from YOH.ca Magazine.)

Dry Mouth (Xerostomia)

If your mouth often feels dry and uncomfortable, you may have xerostomia. That's the clinical term for dry mouth — and it occurs when the amount of saliva in your mouth dries up.(Excerpt from YOH.ca Magazine.)

Tooth Sensitivity

Tooth sensitivity is more than an inconvenience, it's a pain – and your dentist needs to know about it. (Excerpt from YOH.ca Magazine.)

Oral Piercings

An oral piercing might be a must-have for your teen, but do you know how safe it is? (Excerpt from YOH.ca Magazine.)

A fact sheet for patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer and their families. Reprinted with permission.

Premalignant Oral Lesions

A routine part of an oral examination should include an inspection of not only of the teeth and gums but also of the soft tissues in and around the mouth. Dentists look for abnormal changes that are loosely called "lesions". Reprinted with permission of The American Academy of Oral Medicine.

This poster conveys a time-themed, results-oriented messages about quitting tobacco.

The poster is replicated in the brochure,, along with a few frequently asked questions.

Oral Changes Associated with Tobacco Use

The oral changes from tobacco use range from harmless soft tissue changes to a life-threatening oral cancer. Some of the more common of these are discussed in this fact sheet. Reprinted with permission from the American Academy of Oral Medicine.

Tobacco Use: Common Questions

This fact sheet lists some common questions and concerns about quitting tobacco. Reprinted with permission from the American Academy of Oral Medicine.

Don't Let it All Go to Your Head...or Mouth

However you consume it — smoking, vaping or eating edibles — be aware of what cannabis can do to your dental health. (Fact Sheet)

Ensure the patient with Alzheimer's disease knows how to conduct their routine dental care; dental disease should not compound the problems encountered with this disease. (This resource is currently being updated and is temporarily unavailable)

A joint message from the ODA and other organizations, this brochure helps you understand the causes, prevention and treatment of osteonecrosis of the jaw.

Bisphosphonate Therapy and the Oral Cavity

This fact sheet, reprinted with permission of The American Academy of Oral Medicine, looks at bisphosphonates and their possible side effects on oral health.

Mouth Problems + HIV

This fact sheet is for people who have mouth (oral) problems related to HIV infection. It explains the most common oral problems linked to HIV and shows what they look like. It also describes where in the mouth they occur and how they are treated. Reprinted with permission by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

Herpes Simplex Virus Infection (Cold Sores and Fever Blisters)

Fact sheet reprinted with permission of The American Academy of Oral Medicine.